Paul Simpson says Carlisle United must be under no illusions that they’ll face an Oldham Athletic team giving everything for John Sheridan this weekend.

Both managers put their unbeaten starts on the line in the clash at Boundary Park tomorrow.

While Simpson has enjoyed back-to-back wins since returning to Carlisle, ex-Blues boss Sheridan is unbeaten in seven with the Latics.

With more than 1,100 Blues fans making the trip it promises to be a big occasion in the survival battle.

And on United’s opponents in the 19th v 23rd contest, Simpson said: “They’ll be up for it without any shadow of a doubt.

“But they’re doing some good stuff as well – they’re really effective and causing a lot of problems.

“Shez gets his teams working. They’ve got a really simple way of playing but they’re really effective at it.

“They’ve had a good run of results, they were a little bit unfortunate the other night [at Crawley] where they conceded a goal from a deflected cross-cum-shot type thing.

“We know it’s going to be tough. I’m just hoping they’ve had their crest of a wave and we’re just starting on it and we’ve just got to go and do our jobs.

“We’ve done that by looking at ourselves for the majority of our preparation and we’ll do that again going into the weekend.”

Sheridan is on his sixth spell at the Oldham helm and is one of several ex-United figures at Oldham, with No2 Tommy Wright also at Boundary Park along with players Nicky Adams and Hallam Hope.

“I like Shez and Tommy, I don’t know the two players but it will be good to see the two coaches,” Simpson said.

“I just hope Shez is losing his head and moaning like hell on the touchline on Saturday which would mean we’re on top in the game and we’ll hopefully get a result out of it.

“I’ve looked on Oldham so I’ve got the clips from their last couple of games and I’ve got reports on them. It really is about us going there and doing their jobs properly.

“We’ve just got to go there and carry on doing what they’ve been doing because it’s been working so far.”

United start the weekend three pointns above Oldham having played a game more.

Simpson said the feel-good factor among Oldham’s fans since Sheridan’s return is something United must be conscious of – but he also said United’s fans will give his side the best possible backing.

“It will be a big factor. But we’ve got a big support going which I’m sure will give us their backing,” he said.

“The players have just got to respond to it. On Tuesday night, I said to the players that the fans will give them a lift but we have to give the fans something to be lifted by as well. It’s got to be a twofold thing and we both – us and the fans – all [have to] go with a positive mindset, and make that decision.

“A guy who I worked with at Blackpool, Steve Black, who just died last week, used to say, ‘Being positive or negative is your choice, you can decide which one you want to be’.

“We’ve got to go and choose to be positive at the weekend and hopefully the supporters will choose to be positive as well.”

Simpson has also identified how he wants his team to improve on their performances so far, despite the successive wins over Leyton Orient and Rochdale.

“I’ve said it a lot this week already but I really want us to be in more control and pass the ball better,” he added.

“I’m not saying it’s going to be silky football that you see in the Champions League but I still think we’ve got players who can show more control than we are at the moment.”

Simpson also played down the notion of Saturday’s game being a “six-pointer”.

“That saying always makes me laugh – it gets rolled out all the time,” he said.

“I understand what people mean by it, maybe I’m just a miserable sod because I don’t believe in it.

“It would obviously be a really big three points if we can get them. It would give us three wins and that is no mean feat. If we could get three wins, it would make this a top week, not just a good week.”